Method of treating plants



May 11 1926. 1,584,254

' S. TARNOK METHOD 0F TREATING PLANTS Original Filed 19, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 11 192s. 1,584,254

S. TARNQK I METHOD OF TREATING PLANTS original Filed Nov. 19 1925 2 Sheefis-Sheet 2 Patented Mey 11, 1926;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. areuuma TABNOK, or NEW onnmns, LOUISIANA, assrcuon 'ro riumox, me, a

- oonroaarron on Louisiana.

mnrnon or TREATING rLAN'rs;

' Original application filed November 19, 1923, Serial no. 675,775. Patent a... 1,518,188, dated October as,

a 1924. Divided and this application filed April 8, 1924. Serial 80. 704,948.

This invention pertains to the art of treatin trees, plants and other growing vegetation, for the purpose of eliminating those agents of nature which'normally tend to destroy them and to also enable them to overcome the destructive effects of such agents.

It is well-known that all living plants obtain their nourishment from the air and soil, through minute cells or pores in their leaves, bark, tissues, and roots. From the air they absorb gaseous substances such as oxygen, hydrogen, and carbonaceous gases, From the earth they absorb water through their roots. For instance, a leaf of cotton has from 4,500 to 5,000 cells per square inch.

It is also well-known that most insects, bugs, weevils, caterpillars and worms are not provided with nasal passages, but

breathe through pores or cells in the body. The body of a bug of the boll weevil type, for example, is provided with from 3,000 to 5,000 of such cells or pores.

Like humans and animals, insects and 25 plants alike strive for nourishment, light, heat and protection. Throughout the span of life plants are constantly subjected to the destructive action of certain agents of nature such as insects, bugs, weevils, borers,

caterpillars, worms, fungi and various'bacteria, which, if unrestrained, will curtail production by their injurious onslaughts on the plants, buds, blossomsand fruit. A single well-known specific instance is the wide spread yearly damage to cotton crops by the boll weevil.

One of the objects of the invention .is to provide a simple method of fumigating trees, plants and other vegetation, w th suitable chemicals'which will be inhaled into the pores of the insect body, causing instant death, said chemicals being of a character which will not injure the plants being treated. A further object is to employ 45 chemicals which may be absorbed by the plant with safety, and which w ll serve as a plant food and also act as a resistantinoculation againstfurther onslaughts of the def stroying agents. A further object is to de- 450 stroy insect life by causing a substance to adhere to plants, which substance will not 'harm the plants, but possesses hydrogen, which in the presence of moisture, such as\ 'rain or dew, will combine with the oxygen given off by the plants and emit odors fatal to insect life. v

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims. In the accompanying drawings F1gure 1 1s a diagrammatic perspective v1ew illustrating an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a water tank, preferably. of cylindrical shape, supported upon a fire box 11, which in turn is carried by a platform 12, mounted on any desired type of conveyance, such for instance as a truck. Located within the firebox 11 is a burner 13, which is fed-from water tank. Leading from th bottom of the Water tank 10, is a wa er outlet pipe 15, provided wlth a coiled portion 16, im mediately above the burner 13. Ahot water pipe 17 leads from said coil and extends above the water level in the tank 10, being joined with a steam vapor pipe 18, by means of a short pipe section '19. The flow of water is controlled by a valve V. The steam vapor pipe is formed into a coil 20 located above the burner 13, and preferably surrounding the coil 16. Extending upwardly from thecoil 20 is a steam discharge pipe 21, leading to a coupling 22, to which a nozzle N may be connected by means of a hose H.

As shown, the tank 10 is provided with acentral bore 23, from which extends an escape ipe 24, for the outlet of the hot air an products of combustion from'the burner 13. Extending across the bottom of the bore or chamber 23 is a vaporizing cup 25, located in a space surrounded b atmospheric air, in position to'be heate by the burner 13, and receiving a constant supply of fumig'ating material from a tank 26, through the medium of a pipe 27. The smoke orsmudge-like fumes generated in the receptacle by heat without combustion, in thepresence of atmospheric air, are carried off by a fumes pipe 28, extending longitudinally through the bore 23, and provided with a lateral branch by means of which it may be connected with the steam a tank 14, attached to the firior ofthe .pipe 21. If desired, compressed air from any suitable source may be introduced into the pipe 27 through the branch pipe 29.

A container 33 is mounted on the cross pipe 19, to introduce an insecticide into the steam pipe, and if desired an additional chemical container 34'may be placed in communication with the steam pipe 21.

Secured to the base 12 in any desired 19 manner, is a hood 35 positioned to enclose the nozzle 22, and shaped to travel over the growing plants, so as to retain the chemical-laden vapor discharged by the nozzle in close proximity to the plants, there- 15 by insuring effective operation. It is preferred to provide the ends of the hood with fabric curtains 36, to prevent escape of the fumes.

.The pipe 24 is provided with an outlet discharging into a pipe 37, leading to the steam pipe 21.

It is well known that the health of growing plants depends principally upon their ability to absorb nourishment and to con- 25 vert the latter into the life-sustaining 5 or destroyed, they will die.

stroying insects or the like, will also neu tralize or destroy the vegetable acids, and thus seriously injure the plants. This danger is avoided bythe present method. Hydro-carbon oils are known to contain carbon, hydrogen and oxgen, all of which are plant foods and assistthe plants in generating the vegetable acids necessary to .life. They are also fatal to insect bacterial and fungi life. The real problem is to apply the hydro-carbon to the plants in a manner to aid them and not to destroy them. If such oils are applied in the form of a liquid or heavy spray, the pores of the 'plants are closed and choked to such an extent that circulation is retarded or entirely out ofi, resulting in irreparable injury. If, however, the hydro-carbon is vaporized by heat so that it is in a more or less gaseous form the life-giving ingredients are readily assimilated by the plants, and. no injury 60 results.

In the practice of the present invention the safe administration of hydro-carbon is accomplished by filling the tank 26 with a hydro-carbon oil and causing it to drip into the receptacle 25, where itis transand 34.

formed by heat without combustion in the presence of atmospheric air, into an oily smudge which will adhere to the plants. Any desired hydro-carbon may be used, such for instance, as crude oil. There is no danger of overfeeding, for the reason that the plantsthemselves automatically refuse to take more than is actually needed, and the surplus will remainon the leaves, stems, etc., without. choking the pores, until it is eventuall absorbed. Neither is there any danger o damaging the-plants if the smudge is applied in a sufficiently moist-condition to prevent it from absorbing moisture from the plants. If the smudge itself is not inherently moist enough, the additional or necessary moisture is supplied by combining the smudge with the steam. 1f the particular plantsv being treated require anything in addition to the hydro-carbon smudge, to stimulate the generation of vegetable acid, the additional ingredient may be addedthrough the medium of receptacles 13 or 34, in the form of a volatile acid oil extracted from any plants which naturally contain said acid oil in available form.

Many plants contain an excess of volatile acid oils which. if fed to other growing plants of a different species, will have a tonic or stimulating efi'ect on the latter.

For instance, the juices of the well-known bitter weed or any other plant containin the desired constituents, may be extracte in any desired manner and applied to growing plants by placing the extract in eitherof the receptacles 33 or 34, so as to be taken up by the steam and in that manner combined with the smudge produced by the cup 25, the combined fumes being discharged in the vicinity of the plants to be treated. In operation, the tank 10 is filled to the proper level with water, which flows down 'through the coil 16, and up into the pipe 17,

to the same level as that of the water within the tank. The burner 13 is lighted causing the water in the coil 16 to be heated to a sufficiently high temperature to generate a soft wet steam of from 120 to 130 C. The Water vapor developed in the pipe '17 1s carried over into the pipe 18, and is further heated in the coil 20 to produce suflicient pressure to cause it to be discharged at the nozzle 22. At the same time the container 25 is being heated by the burner 13 and the smudge-producing chemical from container 26, .as it is being fed, coming into contact with the heated surface of the vaporizin chamber, produces fumes which are carrie off through the pipe 28. Other chemicals may be added as desired at the points 33 If it should be desired to fumigate without the use of steam, the valve T in container 34 is opened, to permit the steam to escape, thereby acting in the nature of a bypass. The hot air passing through pipe 37 as itflows to the delivery portion of the pipe 21, develops suflicient pressure to draw the-smudge-like fumes through that portion of the pipe 21 back of the connection of the hose 37 with said pipe. lVhen it is desired to spray trees, a suitable hose is connected to coupling 22, and compressed air forced into pipe 29.

In practice the apparatus is caused to travel between the rows of vegetation, the plants being covered by the hood so as to bring the chemical-laden fumes into direct contact with them. The chemical hydrocarbon delivered from the container 26 will be inhaled by the insect through the body pores, resulting in almost instant death. The fatal action is hastened by delivering the smudge at a temperature higher than that of the surrounding atmosphere. The higher temperature is obtained either by combining the smudge with steam or with the hot air passing through the pipe 37, or both.

The chemical smoke builds up a .very

light. smudge which will adhere to plants. This adhering substance being of an oily nature, is impervious to water but on ra1ny days or at night during a heavy dew,-it will emit a noxious odor which is destructive to insect life. By discharging the fumes below the leaves of the plants, the-leaves will absorb the chemical through their pores, thus acquiring a plant food and building up a capability of resistingthe-ravages of insect life. If it should become necessary to attack ofthe ground, around the roots of plants, a sultable tool capable of being thrust into the provided with a substance which acts as a protection against future onslaughts of the destructive agents of nature.

This application is a division of application, Serial Number 67 5,77 5, filed November 19, 1923, which eventuated into a patent dated Oct. 28, 1924, No. 1,513,138. It is to food with saidsmudge and discharging the mixture in'the vicinity of growing plants.

2. The method of treating plants comprising producing a hydro-carbon smudge which will adhere to the plants, combining the fumes of'a volatile vegetable oil with said smudge, and applying the same to growing lants.

3. The method of treating plants oompris- 1 ing producing a smudge by subjecting unconfined hydrocarbon oil to heat without combustion, while exposed to normal atmospheric air, combining fumes ofa volatile oil with said smudge and applying the same to the plants. borers and other insects below the surface L 4. The method of treating plants comprising separately producing a wet gaseous vapor and a hydrocarbon smudge, mixing said ground, is connected with the steam pipe atvapor and fumes, incorporating a plant food into the mixture, and discharging the same time supply the plants with life-sustaining.

nourishment. An important advantage is that the plants may be fumigated with equal convenience in wet, dry, windy or quiet, or

any otherkind of weather, and they are in the vicinity of growing plants;

5. The method of treating plants comprising producing a hydro-carbon smudge which will adhere to theplants, combining with the smudge a plant food and discharging the mixture in the vicinity of growing plants, while the latter are maintained with in a substantially closedspace.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SIGMUND TARNOK. 

